Fun-filled drama

Its final mushy moments notwithstanding, the film is a feel good film. It truly belongs to a class act called Kangana Ranaut. It has the Punjabi spirit and keeps you for its near 120 odd minutes. Viewed from social showcasing, Anand L Rai gives you a long drawn drama wailing to save a marriage at the cost of relationships and emotions. It is in a way a return to Yash Chopra’s ‘Silsila’. Both showcase the readiness to bite and the hesitation to chew!

Well, ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ (TWMR) is just another commercial film. Seen from this limited context it is a fun film – a joy ride for most of the time. Also you walk out of the theatre (anywhere from Ameerpet to Atlanta) with a smile on your face. More importantly with a reassured suggestion that the institution of marriage is safe if not exactly healthy.

Tanu (Kangana) and Manu (R Madhavan) find their four year wedding suffocating in the cold of London and are unable to shovel out their disappointment. As service providers within the institution their bandwidths don’t sync. The crack in the mirror is major and thus they move their ways. Both find themselves in India. This time around Tanu finds an in-house lawyer Chintu (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) who is manipulating her emotions. She, of course, rides down memory lane and runs into Jimmy (Raja Awasti) who still has a special place for her.

Manu on the other hand runs into Kusum a gymnast in the making who he is smitten by. He has fond memories of the face. Feisty Kusum is a Haryanvi kudi with all the attitude you can ask for and she is willing to defy anyone if only she is assured of the love of her new find friend. Various leftovers from the earlier version pop in with sincerity to add to the continuity of the franchisee. So we have a hovering divorce between Tanu and Manu and a blooming romance between Manu and Kusum. There is a twist, however, when you know that Kusum too like Tanu is engaged to marry someone. This suitor is going to add new problems to the possible marriage. It is here that Anand Rai misses the trick. He chooses a melodramatic tale and walks to the pulpit before he reveals who his favourite is between Kusum and Tanu. For satiating your curiosity and for better reasons do not hesitate to see the film.

The cast and crew are serious and dedicated. Yes, writer Himanshu Sharma may be held responsible for not having the required guts to take a mere comic look at the tale and forcing strong message into a fun film. It is also a tad longer and Hemal Kothari (editor) could have cut a few scenes at the table.

The performances are fine. Deepak Dobriyal is hilarious and his sense of humour is classical. Also Madhavan as the suffering lover ensures that his role does not bite into the tale and the main character. The film, however, truly belongs to the class of Kangana. This ‘Queen’ is making a ‘Fashion’ of her talent. Notice how she contrasts the different kinds of confidence and how she holds herself together and does not give into the high dosage drama of a typical mainstream actor. She is a winner. Return to the matrimonial return. You sure will have laughing moments – just as the film is filled with its own.

L Ravichander